Flame and radiation resistant container



Oct. 20, 1953 J. E. TRIPP 2,655,382

FLAME AND RADIATION RESISTANT CONTAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1950 PatentedOct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLAME AND RADIATION RESISTANTCONTAINER 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to containers and relates particularlyto a container which is resistant to fire and radioactivity occasionedby an atomic explosion.

One of the problems incident to atomic warfare is that of preservingfood and medicine against exposure to radioactivity and the flash orfire incident to an atomic explosion. In the event of such an explosionunprotected food and medicine within the effective range of theexplosion is either made radioactive, and consequently poisonous forconsumption, or is burned by flash and fires. I propose to eliminate thepossibility of either eventuality by storing emergency rations andmedicines within a container which is formed of laminated materialconsisting of alternate layers of flame and fire resistant material andmaterial capable of shielding against harmful rays. In a preferred formof my invention I form the top, sides, and bottom of the container fromalternate sheets of asbestos and lead foil, and the foil and asbestosmaterial may preferably be cemented together by a high temperaturethermosetting resin under pressure. At points where the top rests uponthe lower part of the container the shielding material is broughtbetween the limbs of a reinforcing rim in such a fashion that theshielding material overlaps the side and end walls of the lower part ofthe container to insure against the entrance of harmful rays between thetop closure and the lower part of the container. The panels forming thesides, ends and the bottom are mitred so that the lead foil meets at themitred surfaces thereby completely shielding the interior against suchharmful rays. The corners of the container are stiffened by light anglemembers which preferably are capable of being stitched to the variouspanels.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to afford a constructionfor a container which is resistant to fire and radioactivity.

Another object is to provide a construction for a fire-resistant andradiation proof container characterized by the provision of laminarmaterials which may be laminated into panels and cut to form the panelsmaking up such a container.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparentfrom this description taken with the drawing, which together show apreferred embodiment of the invention, and what is now considered to bethe best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments ofthe invention will be apparent to those having the teachings of thisspecification before them, and it is intended that the scope of theinvention cover such other embodiments as may be embraced within thescope and spirit of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flame resistant and radioactivityproof container according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along the plane 22 of Fig. 1showing the overlapping of the lid or cover with respect to the lowerpart of the container with the shielding material also in overlappingrelationship with respect to the lower part;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of the back of thecontainer of Fig. 1 near a corner thereof, showing the mode of removablyhinging the lid to the lower part of the container;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the container of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the plane 5--5 ofFig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown a fire resistant andradioactivity resistant container, indicated generally b the referencenumeral 10, consisting of front and back panels ll, end panels i2, a topclosure indicated generally by the reference numeral 13, and a bottompanel 14.

The front panel II is shown in section in Fig. 2, and the front and rearpanels II, the end panels 12, the top closure l3 and the bottom panel Mare formed from lamination material consisting of a layer l6 of asbestossheet material, a layer of lead foil Il, another layer It of asbestossheet material, and a layer of lead foil 19. The layers l6, ll, [8 andI9 may preferably be cemented together by a thermosetting resin and theapplication of both heat and pressure to form laminated panels of suchalternate layers of asbestos sheet material and lead foil.

As seen with reference to the Figs. 2, 4 and 5 the edges of each of thefront, rear, end and bottom panels are reinforced at the corners byangle shaped reinforcing members, and the top edges of the front, rearand end panels are additionally reinforced by channel shaped members. Asseen also with respect to Figs. 2, 4 and 5 the edges where the severalpanels meet are mitred so that the lead foil of one panel always abutsthe lead foil of an adjacent panel to prevent the entrance of harmfulrays to the container l0. Referring particularly to Fig. 5, by

3 way of example, the panels I I and I2 are mitred at a 45 angle, sothat the mitred edges meet along a line 2|. The mitred edges and thepanels I I and I2 are held together by angle shaped reinforcing members22, which in the embodiment shown are formed of a metal thin enough sothat the members 22 may be stitched by staples 23 to the panels H andI2.

As an alternative, however, the reinforcing angle members .22 may besecured by conventional bolts passing through the members 22 andadjoining panels, and engaged by nuts threaded thereto.

As seen in Fig. 2, the top edges of the panels .H and I2 are reinforcedby inverted channel shaped members 24 formed of metal thin enoughsot-hat the members 24 can be stitched to the panels H and I2 by staples2'6.

The ends of the several reinforcing :members 22 and 24 are mitred alongmeeting faces 21 on the outside of the container -.li=, as seen in Fig.4. It is obvious, of course, that the meeting faces of the limbs of theinverted channel members 24 bearing against the inside of the severalpanels H and i2 need not be so .mitred, and the end faces of suchinterior limbs may be out at right angles thereto.

As seen with reference to Fig. 2 the edges of the top panel I3 arereinforced by members 28 substantially L-shaped in cross-section andhaving spaced .leg elements 23 which embrace the top and under side ofthe .top panel l3 and are held to the top panel [3 by stitching staples3D. In forming the top panel 13 the lead foil sheets ll and I9 arearranged to extend beyond the edges of the asbestos sheet material 16.and I8 and to be folded downward as shown by the reference numerals 3.!and 32 to be held between closely spaced leg elements 33 of the L-shapedmembers 28. The ends of the spaced leg elements 29 are mitred to fittogether along matching lines 29a. As seen in Fig. 2, the leg elements33 overlap the inverted channel shaped elements .24 reinforcing the topedges of the panels H and [2, so that the protection afforded by thelead foil sheets H and I9 is continuous across what normally would bethe parting line between the cover 13 and the panels II and 2.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the lid 13 is detachably hinged to oneof the back panels I l by spaced hook and hasp hinges comprising a flathook 36 riveted to the reinforcing member 24 and a cooperating hasp 3Sriveted to the leg elements 33. The lid I3 is locked in place by ahasp31, a padlock .38 and a staple 39 in the conventional fashion.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there has beenprovided a new and useful container which will store emergency rationsand medicines and maintain them against the ravages of fire and thepossibility of contamination by harmful rays resulting from an atomicexplosion. By the provision of the downward extending foil portions 3|and 32 the contents will be maintained against the possibility ofcontaminating rays entering the container at the parting line betweenthe lower part of the container and the lid or cover therefor. By theprovision of alternate layers of asbestos sheet material and sheets oflead foil or the like, the panels forming the sides, top and bottom areresistant to both fire and radioactivity.

While the invention is described in terms of a preferred embodiment itmay assume in practice, the precise embodiment herein shown i notintended to be limiting of the scope of the invention, the scope thereofbeing as defined by the claims here appended.

I claim:

1. Aflre and radioactivity resistant container comprising side, bottomand top panels, each of said panels being formed from alternate layersof heat resistant material and a metal capable of shielding againstharmful radiation, said side and bottom panels being mitred alongcontiguous edges .of said panelsso that said shielding metal is inabutting relationship at the contiguous edges of said panels, and saidtop panel being reinforced along the edges thereof by reinforcingelements having downward extending legs in lapping relationship withrespect to said side panels, said shielding metal of said top panelextending beyond the edges of the heat resistant material of said toppanel and being turned down and embraced by said downward extending legsto provide for shielding across the parting line between said top paneland said side panels.

2. A fire and radioactivity resistant container comprising side, bottomand top panels, each of said panels being formed from alternate layersof heat resistant material and a metal sheet material capable ofshielding against harmful radiation, said side and bottom panels beingmitred along contiguous edges thereof so that said shielding metal is inabutting relationship at the contiguous edges of said panels, membersforrreinforcing and joining said panels at their contiguous edgesconsisting of angles having legs secured to said panels and said toppanel being reinforced along the edges thereof by reinforcing elementshaving downward extending legs in lapping relationship with respect tosaid side panels, said shielding metal of said top panel extendingbeyond the edges of the heatresistant material of said top panel andbeing turned down and embraced between said downward extending legs toprovide for shielding across the parting line between d op panel andsaid side pan ls.

JAMES E. TRIPP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 268,819 Nolan Dec. 12 1882 878,501 Burhans Feb. 11, 1908935,748 Fenlason Oct. 5, 1909 2,507,379 Morrison May 9, 1950

